The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London offers Kurdish for beginners.

If you are interested in learning Kurdish Kurmanji, please apply now. SOAS language centre need 5 people to start a Kurdish class. If 5 students cannot be found then SOAS will not be able to offer this course.

Kurdish (Kurmanji) Beginners Course
A one-year course in beginners spoken and written Kurdish, at SOAS Language Centre in London

Duration: This is a one-year course with three 10-week terms

Mode of Attendance: Part Time

Description
The aim of the course is to provide a thorough introduction to contemporary Kurdish. By the end of the course, students will have covered basic grammatical constructions and acquired an essential working vocabulary allowing them to communicate within a limited range of situations in which learners are likely to find themselves. The language is presented together with the cultural context in which it is used so that learners are able to appreciate such things as appropriateness and linguistic etiquette when interaction takes place in the target language.

Method
The course is taught in English and Kurdish with coverage of the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, and a balance between communicative activities, structure practice and grammar. Class size is limited to twelve to allow for close involvement.

Assessment for Course Placement
If you are not a complete beginner, you need to take an assessment in order for SOAS to place you on the course that is the most suitable for your language learning needs.

Fees for this Course
The fee for each ten week term is £255 payable in advance

For further details, including terms and conditions, required materials and how to apply, please visit the following page:

http://www.soas.ac.uk/programmes/prog14152.html

Contacting the SOAS language centre

Visiting address:
22 Russell Square, London WC1 – just around the corner from SOAS main buildings.

Office hours:
Monday to Friday 10am to 6.45pm
Saturday 9.30am to 12.30pm

E-mail: languages@soas.ac.uk
Telephone: UK: 020 7898 4888 World: +44 20 7898 4888
Fax: UK: 020 7898 4889 Int: +44 20 7898 4889
Post: The Courses Secretary, SOAS Language Centre, School of Oriental and African Studies, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG

Over the coming months the UK Kurdish Studies and Student Organisation will be announcing its programme of events for the 2009/2010 academic year.

In October KSSO will host three events starting off with a seminar on statelessness titled “Citzenship and Statelessness in Syria” given by Robert Lowe, manager and research fellow for the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, and Alan Shamoson. Mr Lowe is an expert on Kurdish issues with a special focus on Syria. The date of the event is October 8th at SOAS University, starting at 6pm in the Khalili lecture conference room.

On October 22nd Dr. Maja Cederberg of Oxford Brooks University will be holding a seminar on “Presences and absences in stories about racism and disadvantage.“ This seminar will take a broad look at issues of racism and disadvantage including the case of Kurdish communities.

KSSO will announce the times and exact room locations for these events closer to the event dates, but please do make a note in your diaries.

We welcome all new and old Kurdish and non-Kurdish students, as well as non-students, and hope to make 2009/2010 another successful year for KSSO.

For future events please see our new events calendar at the bottom of the page.